El estrés crónico como mediador de la relación entre la posición socioeconómica y el cumplimiento del tratamiento farmacológico de pacientes hipertensos / Chronic stress as a mediator of the relationship between socioeconomic status and pharmacological adherence in hypertensive patients

Introducción. La hipertensión arterial sistémica es un problema de salud pública en el mundo. En Colombia, su prevalencia es del 25 % y la mortalidad es alta. Los factores psicosociales que afectan el cumplimiento del tratamiento farmacológico no han sido estudiados suficientemente. En otros países, se ha estudiado el papel del estrés crónico en la relación entre la posición socioeconómica y el cumplimiento del tratamiento farmacológico antihipertensivo. Objetivo. Examinar el papel del estrés crónico como mediador de la relación entre la posición socioeconómica y el cumplimiento del tratamiento farmacológico, en pacientes hipertensos de 45 a 70 años en el 2015 y el 2016. Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estudio transversal de una población de pacientes hipertensos. Los datos provienen de la muestra seleccionada para el programa "De todo corazón" en Bogotá, Medellín y Quibdó. El análisis estadístico de los datos se hizo mediante análisis factorial y regresiones multivariadas. Resultados. Los resultados confirmaron una asociación positiva entre la posición socioeconómica y el grado de cumplimiento del tratamiento farmacológico, y una relación negativa entre la primera y el estrés crónico. Además, se evidenció que el estrés tiene una asociación negativa con el grado de cumplimiento. Conclusiones. Los resultados sugieren que el estrés no es un mediador entre la posición socioeconómica y el cumplimiento del tratamiento farmacológico antihipertensivo en Colombia. Se requieren estudios adicionales para confirmar estas relaciones con una muestra más amplia.

Introduction: High blood pressure is a public health problem worldwide. In Colombia, its prevalence is 25% with a high mortality rate. The psychosocial factors affecting pharmacological adherence among patients have not been sufficiently studied and despite international evidence on their impact, in Colombia, there is a paucity of research on the role of chronic stress in the relationship between socioeconomic status and pharmacological adherence. Objective: To examine the role of chronic stress in the relationship between socioeconomic status and pharmacological adherence in hypertensive patients aged 45 to 70 years old in three Colombian cities between 2015 and 2016. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a population of hypertensive patients. Data for this study came from the first wave of longitudinal study aimed at examining social factors associated with the control of hypertension in Bogotá, Medellín, and Quibdó. Patients with hypertension were selected randomly from a sample of those participating in the hypertension control program De todo corazón. For the statistical analysis of the data, we used factorial analysis and multivariate regressions. Results: We found a positive association between socioeconomic status and the degree of pharmacological adherence and a negative one with chronic stress. Besides, evidence was found that stress has a negative association with the degree of adherence. Conclusions: The results suggest that stress is not a likely mediator between socioeconomic status and the pharmacological adherence of hypertensive patients in Colombia. Additional studies are required to confirm these relationships with a larger sample.

Asociación entre marcadores de posición social y adherencia al tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial en Colombia / Association between social position indicators and hypertension treatment adherence in Colombia

INTRODUCCIÓN: Generar evidencia sobre los efectos de la posición social en la adhe-rencia terapéutica en personas con hipertensión arterial (HTA) en Colombia. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio transversal, a partir de mediciones cuan-titativas del Programa de Determinantes Sociales e Inequidades en el Control de la HTA en Colombia. Se desarrollaron análisis descriptivos e inferenciales (regresión logística) para modelar las asociaciones. RESULTADOS: Se evidenció una alta proporción de adherencia, siendo mayor para cumplimiento farmacológico y las citas (>50%). Las personas con menor educación e ingresos tienen menor posibilidad de adherirse al tratamiento farmacológico; mientras que quienes tienen mejor posición socioeconómica tienen menor posibilidad de adherirse a las citas y a las conductas saludables. Los afrocolombianos tienen menor posibilidad de adherirse al tratamiento farmacológico, a las citas y a la actividad física. DISCUSIÓN: Existe una brecha en el logro de la adherencia a tratamiento de HTA en Colombia, debido a condiciones socioeconómicas y étnica/raciales.

INTRODUCTION: To generate evidence on the effects of social position on therapeutic adherence among individuals with hypertension (HT) in Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out, using quantitative data from the Social Determinants and Inequities in the Control of HT Program in Colombia. Descriptive and inferential analyses (logistic regression) were developed to model the associations. RESULTS: The prevalence of adherence was high, especially for pharmacological treat-ment and compliance with appointments (>50%). Individuals with less education and lower income are less likely to adhere to pharmacological treatment, while tho-se with higher socioeconomic status are less likely to adhere to appointments and healthy behaviors. Afro-Colombians were less likely to adhere to pharmacological treatment, appointments, and indications regarding physical activity. DISCUSSION: There is a gap in HT treatment adherence in Colombia, due to socioeco-nomic and ethnic/racial conditions

Ambient Pollution and Respiratory Outcomes among Schoolchildren in Durban; South Africa

Objectives. To examine associations between ambient air pollutants and respiratory outcomes among schoolchildren in Durban; South Africa.Methods. Primary schools from within each of seven communities in two regions of Durban (the highly industrialised south compared with the non-industrial north) were selected. Children from randomly selected grade 4 classrooms were invited to participate. Standardised interviews; spirometry; methacholine challenge testing and skin-prick testing were conducted. Particulate matter (PM); sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide were monitored at each school; while nitrogen oxides (NOx) and other pollutants were monitored at other sites.Results. SO2 was significantly higher in the south than in the north; while PM concentrations were similar across the city. The prevalence of symptoms consistent with asthma of any severity was 32.1. Covariate-adjusted prevalences were higher among children from schools in the south than among those from the north for persistent asthma (12.2 v. 9.6 ) and for marked airway hyperreactivity (AHR) (8.1 v. 2.8); while SO2 resulted in a twofold increased risk of marked AHR (95 confidence interval 0.98 - 4.66; p=0.056).Conclusions. Schoolchildren from industrially exposed communities experienced higher covariate-adjusted prevalences of persistent asthma and marked AHR than children from communities distant from industrial sources. Our findings are strongly suggestive of industrial pollution-related adverse respiratory health effects among these children

GSTM1; GSTP1 and NQO1 Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Asthma among South African Children

Gluthathione-S-transferase (GSTM1 and GSTP1) and nicotinamide quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) genes play an important role in cellular protection against oxidative stress; which has been linked to asthma pathogenesis. We investigated whether common; functional polymorphisms in GSTM1; GSTP1; and NQO1 influence susceptibility to asthma among schoolchildren in South Africa. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from 317 primary schoolchildren; aged 9-11 years; from the urban; underprivileged socio-economic communities of Durban. GSTM1 (null vs. present genotype); GSTP1 (Ile105Val; AA ?AG+GG) and the NQO1 (Pro/Ser; CC ?CT/TT) genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction. Among the children; 30 were GSTM1 null; 65 carried the G allele for GSTP1; and 36 carried the C allele for NQO1.There was a high prevalence of asthma of any severity (46.1); with 20.4 reporting persistent asthma. The GSTP1 AG+GG polymorphic genotype was significantly associated with persistent asthma (adjusted OR = 3.98; CI = 1.39; 11.36; p-value = 0.01). Neither the GSTM1; nor the NQO1; genotype was a significant predictor of persistent asthma. Therefore; the GSTP1 A/G variant may modulate the risk of persistent asthma among our sample